Meet the Drapers
by heather-marie
Summary: NOT A KNOCK OFF OF THE MOVIE! We know who Daine's parents are, but with wedding bells in the air, what happens when Numair takes Daine to meet HIS parents? First fanfic! please read and review! DN
1. Of Bells and a Ring

Hey everyone,  
This is being reposted today. I'll work on chapter two too. Then I'll put up chapter three. I'm sorry it has taken me so long, I've just been busy with school. sigh Senior year is fun but hectic. I'm editing this and sending thanks to all my reviewers! I never dreamed it my story would be so well received. Well, that being said carry on to my disclaimer.

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it belongs to Tamora Pierce. The rest is my own. IS NOT MEANT TO BE LIKE MEET THE FOCKERS!I have never watched either of the movies, so any similarities is strictly coincidental.

Veraldaine Sarrasri, also known as Daine to her friends, was reading a book by the fire in Numair's bedchamber. The sun was setting, sending red and orange light through the open window to dance on the gray stone floor. Numair was in his study revising the communication spell that the Queen's Riders used. Throughout the set of rooms there was a feeling of quiet and calm. Daine sighed. She had not felt this much at home in a long time. When the fifth bell rang and Numair showed no sign of coming out of his study to go to dinner, Daine wrote a note to the chef requesting that supper be brought to them. A castle cat agreed to take the message (as Daine's messengers were always given extra special treats). The food arrived about quarter of a candle mark later, and there was still no sign of Numair. She went to his study.

The fifth bell rang startling Numair Samalin. He was supposed to be working on a spell, but something else had his attention. He turned the ring over in his large hands. It had been two years since the Immortals War. In that time the relationship between Daine and Numair had grown immensely. Numair decided that it was time to settle down. He looked at the ring. He had made is especially for Daine. After much research and a little help, he made it so that it would stay on when she shape-shifted. It was made with copper and emerald green bands intertwining, six in all. The stone was a diamond, clean cut and crystal clear. A prize that any bride-to-be to be proud to show her friends. But inside the diamond was what made it so special. Deep in the diamond's depths was a black and silver ball of fire, his Gift. He sighed. It was beautiful…he was very proud. He heard the door open and quickly slipped the ring into his breeches pocket. He looked up and smiled as the object of his thoughts peered at him. Yes, this was right.

"Hello Magelet."

As Daine opened the door to the study, her eyes went straight to him. The study was in its usual condition, somewhat orderly disarray, as crazy as that sounds. Though it may look like a disaster area to anyone else, if needed Numair could tell you exactly where an item was.

He looked up at her and smiled. The look in his eyes was one of pure love. Deep rich brown eyes met smoky gray as the two lovers looked at each other.

"Hello Magelet." He said, using his pet name for her.

"Hello Numair." She said as she made her was to him. He looked sort of…flushed. She ignored it and as she got nearer, he pushed himself away from his desk. Before he could stand up she sat down in his lap and pulled herself to him. He chuckled softly. She always loved to cuddle. He often wondered if she was taking on traits of the animals she turned into permanently. Not that he minded. His only reaction however was to pull her closer.

"And what brings you to my study this time of day?" he asked teasingly. His breath caught as she looked at him, a playful gleam in her eyes. In a heartbeat she captured his lips with her own.

Surprise quickly turned to pleasure as he returned the kiss. Numair had kissed many women in his two and thirty years, but none of them made him feel the way the young woman in his lap did. Whenever she came near him, his whole body tingled. Just a simple kiss from her would drive him to the brink of madness. How could he love someone so much? After they were both light-headed with the lack of air, they parted. Breathless, he licked his abused lips, massaging hers with his thumb as he cupped her cheek.

"Where…did _that_ come from? He asked laughing.

"You're a bad influence on me Master Mage." She replied nuzzling his neck. She could feel his breath hitch. "I had dinner brought up, but you know we will have to go to the ball for the Tyran and Scandrian delegates, remember?"

Numair sighed. They should have been at the banquet, but as long as they were at the ball by the eighth bell, he could always use the spell as an excuse.

"Thank you sweetling, let's go eat."

Taking a better hold on her, he stood up carrying a giggling Daine into the living room. When staying in Corus, the mage used a set of rooms in the castle given to him by the king and queen. He had a living room, washroom (with extra storage space), a workroom (warded against fire and explosions), and a bedchamber. Daine had her own set of rooms, though hers did not have a work room. Hers was also on the ground floor with a door to the outside. She was hardly ever there anymore though. Even though she spent most nights in Numair's arms, they still had not made the official move.

They sat down at the table Numair had put there just for occasions like this. It was big enough to hold their food, yet small enough that they could still reach each other to hold hands. In other words, perfect. Helping themselves, they both made a plate…which was then passed to the other person. They weren't exactly sure why they did this just that they did. Daine began to eat, but Numair was too nervous.

Daine looked up to see him staring at his plate. He hadn't touched a thing. Something was wrong. She put her fork down and looked at him. "Alright," she said, "Spill."

He looked up at her, startled. His mouth opened to speak but he couldn't make his voice work. Clearing his throat he looked down. Why was it so hard to start? He loved her, and he knew that she wanted to be his wife. She had told him. _What are you afraid of Numair?_ He thought.

"Numair, you are scaring me! You know how I hate that! Now what's wrong?"

"No sweet, nothing is wrong. I promise." He said quickly. He hadn't meant to scare her. Taking her hand he stood up. "Come with me."

He led them to his bedchamber. Seating them in the same chair she had occupied earlier, he pulled her sideways into his lap, so that he could see her face. She looked into his eyes. "What is it?"

Numair cleared his throat again and began, "Daine…I've…been thinking…about us. These past two years have been the best of my life. I never knew that I could love someone so much. Daine I want us to be together forever."

"But Numair, I..."

"No, don't interrupt me please…" he said putting a finger to her still slightly swollen lips. "I love you more than life, air, magic, anything. I think about you constantly when our duties take us in opposite directions. I know we haven't talked about marriage in a while, but I will always remember when you said that you wanted to be my wife, just not yet. That was a year and a half ago. About a month ago, I started working on this." He pulled the ring from his pocket, showing it to her. Daine, whose eyes had suddenly gotten very wet, gasped.

"Numair…it's _beautiful_." She took the ring from his palm and examined it. Looking into the diamond, she discovered the pool of his Gift. "Your Gift…"

"It's a speaking spell." He explained. "For when we are apart." He took the ring from her. He stood them up then sat her back down. Kneeling, he took her hands and looked into her eyes.

"Daine, I love you. I want it to be that when I am old and gray, reading stories to my grandkids, that you will be right there beside me, holding the littlest one." Daine laughed.

"You'll never be old and gray. You use too many hair lotions." Numair glared playfully at her, then smiled.

"True. Daine, would you accept this ring, as a promise to you that I am yours, until the day I die, and forever after that? And to wear it as a symbol, shouting to the world our love?"

Tears were now flowing freely as she nodded, unable to speak. Numair slipped the ring on her finger, as a single tear slid down his cheek.

"It's spelled to stay on even when you shape-shift. You can thank the badger for that. He helped me develop the spell. Daine," his tone turned serious again, "I'm not trying to rush you. This is just a promise. I'll be ready when you are. In the meantime, all you have to do to talk to me, no matter where you are, is to place this ring in the palm of your hand, and say my name. I will answer."

Numair was knocked backwards as Daine leapt out of the chair. Laughing they both fell to the floor as Daine kissed him all over.

"I…love…you…so…much." She said between kisses. Numair laughed and flipped them so he was on top.

"The feeling is mutual, Magelet." He said, capturing her lips for a gentle kiss. At that moment the seventh bell rang. Where had the time gone? Sighing, Numair pulled them up. Giving her one more quick kiss he said, "I'll see you at the ball, love."


	2. The ball

AN: Well, I'm getting better with this as I go so hopefully by the time my newest chapter is ready I will be good at this. Thanks again to all who reviewed! For those of you that did, please reread these to refresh your memory, (I know I'm terrible at updates) and for those new readers, hold on to your butts! But this is a little smoother than it was. Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't know, Don't own, Just write...accept for Salanka. He's my pitiful creation.

Chapter 2

Numair was uncharacteristically giddy. Dressed in black silk breeches he pulled on his favorite shirt. Made from silver silk, it was shot through with black threads, with black fire-like designs on going down the front. It was a gift from Daine. Last Midwinter:

"It's the color of your magic." She had said, "It will go well under your robe."

He stepped up to the mirror to button the collar. It was just right so that it showed weither he wore his robe closed or opened. Taking his robe off of the doorknob, he put it on as well. Leaving it open, he made on last minute mirror check and headed to the ball room.

A Few Moments Later……..

King Jonathon of Conte was talking with Salanka, the ambassador from Tyra, when he spotted Numair coming in. He motioned for him to come over. "Ah, Master Salanka, may I introduce Master Numair Salmalin?"

"Good evening ambassador." Numair greeted, bowing slightly and offering a hand. "A pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine Master Salmalin." Salanka said shaking hands. Turning to the king Numair said:

"Sorry that I was not at the banquet Your Magesty, I was working."

"Oh its quite alright Numair." Jon said. "Daine was not there either." He commented when Salanka was watching the dancers, spoken so that only Numair would hear.

"She was with me."

"A black robe mage!" Salanka said suddenly, surprising both Numair and Jon. "You must be very Gifted. I was wondering if I might inquire as to what you were working on? I'm a mage myself though I haven't _near_ the Gift required to wear the famed "Black Robe"."

Numair looked at the ambassador. He was tall, only slightly shorter than himself, with brown hair cut close and dancing green eyes. He wore a gold robe in red trim, signifying that he was a Master in his area. That particular shade of red meant "war mage". The robe was the Tyran equivalent to a Carthaki red robe.

"Well Sir, I was actually working on a speaking spell. One that could be activated by even un-Gifted individuals. It will help with the Riders."

"Numair has developed many things for the Queen's Riders" Jon bragged.

"'Tis my pleasure Your Majesty." Numair said with a slight bow. He hated being flaunted in front of guests. When would Daine get there? "I'm sorry gentleman, but I must speak with someone. If you will excuse me…?" Always crafty, he slipped out of the eye of the ambassador. All those years of disappearing paid off every once in a while.

Looking around, he wondered if maybe he had missed Daine come in. the Great Ball Room had two entrances. One used by guests and members of the court, and one used by the king and queen. He sighed; she was no where in sight.

"Where is Daine, Numair?" Numair jumped at the hand on his shoulder. Alana was too sneaky sometimes!

"I'm not sure. She should have…" he was cut short when he turned around to face the Lioness and caught sight of the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. He swallowed, hard.

"Numair? What is it?" Alana turned around. "Ah, well that explains it. My, but she does look beautiful."

Pretty didn't begin to describe what Daine looked like. She had on a beautiful, full length sapphire blue gown that showed off her curvy, yet muscular figure and brought about the blue hues in her stormy eyes. It was a dress Numair got her when he went to the Yamian Isles last summer. He had it made just for her. As fragile as a butterfly's wing, it had copper, black, and silver beaded animals at the hem to make it hang right. "The colors of our magic." He had told her. Her hair fell in curly tumbles on her shoulders. She wore the sapphire drops in her ears that had been Numair's first gift to her. Her badger claw hung around her neck, and her ring on her finger. She was stunning. Numair swallowed again, and then went to greet her.

Daine grinned when she saw Numair. She had picked the right outfit. The look on his face was that of pure love and admiration. He met her at the bottom of the stairs.

"Magelet…you…" he was at a loss for words. A rare thing. She smiled.

"I'm glad you like it." She said pulling him down for a kiss. When the pulled apart Numair bowed his head playfully. "Would you like to dance?" Daine nodded.

Numair took her hand and lead her out on the dance floor. He held her close to him as the twirled around the floor. They marveled at how well their bodies fit together. Yes…this was right. They danced, oblivious to all things around them. Alana watched the scene unfold with a smile. Funny, she normally hated balls…

"A right cute sight aren't they love?" George came up behind Alana and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Yes. Reminds me of another couple…." She said pulling him for a kiss. They watched the couple as they danced. A few hours later, they left hand in hand.

That Night…

Numair looked up from his reading at the knock on his door. Daine popped her head in. He chuckled. She had a playful look on her beautiful face. He gulped when he saw what she was wearing.

After dancing so long, she decided just to go to Numair's rooms. Changing in his washroom, she came out wearing just one of his shirts. It smelt like him, and came down half-way down her thighs. Jumping on the bed beside him, she snuggled up to him.

"How about next Midsummer?" Numair looked down quickly looking shocked.

"Really? Daine I wasn't meaning to…"

"I know, I know. I've been thinking too. I'm ready to marry you. Ma and Da can be here Midsummer. And it gives us time to plan." Numair grinned and kissed her.

"Midsummer is great!" They kissed again and Numair held her in his arms. Right before they went to sleep Daine said "Numair?"

"hmm?" came the sleepy reply.

"What about your parents?"

Numair sat up.


	3. UPDATE!

Ok, so I realize that I am a terribly horrible person for what I have done to the readers of this story. I am truly ashamed of myself. . To make it up to you, how about an update?!? I know what you're thinking....Seriously, an update? YES! I recently reread (just finished today in fact) the Immortals and I am once I again left wanting for Numair. And...Daine I guess. :P Haha, just kidding. (Though, on a side note, I am trying to get my fiance to grow his hair out...I know, I'm pathetic.) Anyway, I know I deserve to be lynched for my behavior, but I hope that by finally giving an update, you will forgive me. I will have it up no later than this time tomorrow. I promise.   Thank you so much for putting up with me.

Love always!


	4. Enchantress Daine

So, here it is! After what...5 years? I know, I'm sorry. There's not much meat to this I'm afraid, though there is a bit of shameless fluff at the end. Call this a transition chapter if you want. I just wanted to get you an update. The next chapter will be better! I promise! As always, read and review!

Disclaimer: Don't know. Don't own. Just write.

Spots stood still, patiently waiting for the ungainly mage to mount. He gave a horse-sigh. Of all the things to be bad at he has to pick riding, the spotted gelding confided to Daine. She giggled.

"What?" questioned Numair. His innocent questioning look quickly turned to a scowl at the guilty look on Daine's face. Guessing what they had been amused about, he mounted in a huff. "Well, I can't be good at _everything_." The horse and girl just laughed harder, this time joined by Cloud the sturdy mountain pony and long time companion of the girl.

Daine tried to straighten her face. "No, I suppose not" she agreed while nimbly mounting Cloud. "It doesn't matter anyway, I love you just the way you are" she remarked, grinning up at him.

Be careful! Cloud nickered. I'm not as young as I once was! She scolded Daine. Worry etched her face. Maybe I should take Wing-foot, you could carry the packs and it wouldn't be so hard on you, Daine offered. Cloud stamped her right front hoof. I will not be demoted to a pack animal! Daine smiled and petted her neck. I was only thinking of you.

Numair who had been straightening himself in the saddle this whole time turned to look at Daine. Being very attuned to her moods he saw she was troubled. Meeting his eyes she shook her head. He knew that look meant 'not right now we'll talk later' so he let it drop. "Well I guess we're all set. Shall we go?" he smiled at his love, trying not to show just how nervous he really was.

Leading the way, Numair set out west from Corus. They'd hit the main road into Tyra in about 4 days. (AN: I have no clue if this is true...so...sorry) Numair fretted. He didn't worry about whether or not his parents would love her, how could they not? He worried that the Drapers would not like Numair. He was no longer simple Arram who left for Carthak, eagerly seeking knowledge. Now he was Numair Samalian, one of the 7 most powerful mages in the world; would his parents still love him?

They traveled on in near silence. Well, for Numair at least. Daine, on the other hand, was being bombarded with People. It seemed to her that hardly anytime had passed when Numair called for a break at midday. Unsaddling Cloud she rubbed her down well, looking into the pony's health. I'm fine, Cloud told Daine nipping her sleeve. Just tired. Go to your Stork-man. He's fretting about something.

Numair was sitting with his back against a tree. He had a bag pulled close to him and was going through its contents looking for lunch. Faint lines crossed his forehead where he frowned. Sitting down beside him, Daine took his hand. Looking into his eyes she asked him what was wrong. "Are you afraid they won't approve of me?" A flash of her insecurities was lain bare for him to see. She was so much younger than him, so much less attractive than him (though he'd fight her most adamantly on that point) and so much less refined than him. What if she didn't belong in the Draper world?

Numair quickly silenced her and shook his head. "No, magelett. There isn't anyone on Earth that couldn't be charmed by you." He grinned.

She glared. "Are you saying that I'm an Enchantress, Master Numair?"

Quite solemnly he said "Well, you did enchant me." Suddenly Daine burst into fits of laughter. Finally she managed to choke out, "Wow, that was lame." He laughed with her. "It wasn't meant to be graceful, love." He sobered. "There's no way they couldn't love you. I only worry if they'll still love me..."

"What do you mean? That's fair daft Numair! You're their son!"

"I haven't been home in a long time. I'm completely different than the son they've known for 32 years. I'm not Arram anymore. I'm just nervous as to how I'll be received..." Looking down she could see that this was really troubling him.

"When was the last time you wrote home?"

"About two weeks ago." She looked at him puzzled. He continued. "When I started working on your ring, I think subconsciously I knew it would come to this. I hadn't written to them since I fled Carthak. It wasn't safe for them. But I figured that if we just showed up on their doorstep I might give poor old Ma a heart-tremor." He smiled. Talking to Daine always made him feel better. She grinned in return.

Getting to her feet, Daine gave a great yawn and a mighty stretch. "We'd best get going, Master Mage. Remember, we have to keep you on your sleep schedule. Change in your patterns aren't good for the old and senile."

"Old and sen-" He jumped up and grabbed her into a tight hug. "Babies are the ones who need to be in bed early. This Old Man still has plenty of late nights left" He kissed her fully, pulling him closer to her and leaving her breathless. Pulling away, he chuckled when he saw her face. "Looks like you still have some tricks to learn." She swatted at him playfully but pulled him back down for a gentler kiss. "I love you." she whispered. "And I you, Magelett"


End file.
